This invention relates generally to fiber optic systems. More specifically the invention relates to fiber optic cable management and termination systems.
Generally, optical fibers are run from a plurality of possible user locations to a central location managed by a telecommunication provider. At the central location, the optical fibers can be communicatively coupled with telecommunication equipment in a manner dependent on what services are to be delivered to the user location.
Optical fibers can be very sensitive to the environment as well as the manner in which they are handled and stored. Furthermore, even with careful handling in the cleanest of environments, the final destination for a terminating end of the optical fiber may not be known when the optical fiber is initially run. Thus, fibers are usually initially run to a first location, possibly a fiber distribution frame, where later they can be cross-connected from/to optical communication devices.
Patching of optical cables introduces another possible point of degradation of the signals traveling through the optic fibers. In the alternative, even if the fiber is run to the approximate final destination ahead of time, but not connected with an optical communication device, the optic fiber may be only loosely stored, subjecting it to unwanted physical stresses. In this example, it is possible the exact length of optic fiber may not be ideal to the true final destination, or for damage to occur to the terminating end of the optic cable prior to final installation in an optical communication device.
Embodiments of the invention provide solutions to these and other problems.